A King's Duty
by SniperCT
Summary: Fantasy AU. Only a mortal can kill a god. Four years into her reign as King, Lara must set out on a quest to destroy a Goddess, to protect her kingdom and her family. Her quest will take her across the world and square her off against some of the most powerful beings in the land. Direct sequel to Ser Croft and it's highly recommended to read that one first.
1. Planning

Sam knew something was amiss. Though I tried my hardest, I could not keep it from her for long. I had to tell her that I must leave her and our son. I didn't know how. It's not as though I wanted to leave. Our kingdom was at peace. It would not last if I denied Natla her wish. She was a demon at best and she held a sword to my family's throat.

The politics didn't bother me. Sam had proven an effective Queen, much to the surprise of many. She hardly needed me, not for that. But I could not protect anyone if I was absent. Yet I could not protect anyone if I stayed. A rather impotent king, I was.

Late into the night, I made preparations. My sword and daggers, my bow. I'll need supplies, enough for several weeks and coin to replenish. Without knowing just how far from my kingdom I'll travel, I decide it's best to take simple gold coins, and while my armor would bear my crest, it didn't look like the sort of gaudy trash a king would wear.

The sword wasn't my royal sword. That belonged here, with Sam and with the kingdom where it belonged. I preferred the weight of _Endurance_. Roth's sword. The only family heirloom that mattered to me.

With the supplies readied and a horse prepared, I pored over some maps. Our Kingdom, Nishia, lay on the forks of two great rivers. They met, and swept into the sea to the south. To the north and the north east were craggy mountains. West stretched across plains towards craggy hills, and past that lay the Empire of the Sun, once ruled by King Mathias. At it's heart lay the aptly named Solaris. I've never seen it myself, and there isn't a man or woman alive in this kingdom that knows what it looks like, but travelers and merchants have described a vast city, with miles of streets and a labyrinth of buildings, all spiraling around a hill that culminates with a tower made of blood-red stone and shimmering glass.

Beyond that, my maps become useless filled with more myth and legend than fact. What little I've found of this Himiko told me that she was rumored to control storms, and that Sam's family line can be traced to her kingdom, five thousand years ago.

It was such a huge number that I dismissed the idea as preposterous. In our records, few go back even a thousand years, let alone five times that number.

"Your _majesty_."

A mocking voice distracted me from my map, and I looked up into Sam's eyes. Sam's very angry eyes.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" She slapped her hands down on the table, scattering my maps and making me back peddle to a safe distance.

"Sam, I can explain." I hold up my hands, ducking as she threw a scroll at me. "Sam, listen to me!" I duck again and move in close, grabbing my wife by her wrists and holding her hands over her head. She wrapped a leg around my waist and twisted us. We landed on top of the table, which creaked. Sam was pinned, but her legs were like a vice around me, holding me in place on top of her.

"Explain then," she said, and rocked her hips against mine.

My voice sounded as strained as I felt. Even after four years she could make my blood run hot with a simple action or smoldering look. "Must you torture me?"

"You can't _leave_ me, Lara." The mood abruptly shifted. I let go of her wrists, and stroked my fingers along her face. She had a forlorn expression and it broke my heart.

"I have to. Natla was not satisfied with Mathias. I have another task and I will be gone for many months." I put a finger over her lips. "No, you cannot come with me. You've the kingdom to rule over, and our son to protect in my absence. Reyes can help you with this. But as long as Natla holds a sword over us, I have to ... I have to do this. For everyone."

"Lara…" Sam's voice was cracking, but I had to stand my ground. This was too important. Her life was at stake, our son's life was at stake.

"Lara, I'm _pregnant_ again."

Her words sank in pretty quickly, and I think of that damned magical tree Natla planted that somehow helped produce our son. The Queen refused to let me destroy it, fearing that doing so would harm Conrad. I felt a little dizzy. "Are you sure we shouldn't burn that tree?"


	2. Departure

I don't get a chance to leave for several more nights. I'm reluctant, anyway, to leave Sam and our son. Sons. Or possibly a daughter (and I was rather hoping for the latter). I will be gone for many months, and children grow so fast. I knew that I would miss the birth of our second child. I do not trust that accursed tree, but part of me is excited anyway. For the children alone, it was enough to push me to fulfill Natla's task. And for Sam too, it was all the more urgent. Still, I hope that Conrad does not hate me for leaving.

At least this way I was able to properly prepare my supplies for travel. I was going over the maps again when Sam came in. She looked down at the table, as though she weren't able to meet my eyes. So I reached over and turned her head towards me. "What is it?"

"I don't want you to go, but I can't stop you." We'd already had this argument three times, and I was grateful that Sam seemed to have run out of things to say.

"You can run things just fine without me. I'm a soldier, Sam. A Knight. I was never meant to rule."

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the briefest glimmer of a smile on her lips. "So this is an excuse to play with swords for a few months?"

"Naturally," I told her, lifting her up to sit on the table. I leaned in, pinning her hands to either side of her. This was deathly serious, this thing we joked about, but it helped to ease the tension in my stomach and the fear in Sam's eyes. Gently, I said, "I _will_ return to you, Sam. I promise."

"Crofts always keep their promises," she responded. Her lips found their way to mine, and as always I was drawn into her, unable to resist. Sam tasted so sweet, and I made sure I had my fill of her. Gentle caresses and soft gasps gave way to needy desperation. And my maps? I could always get new maps.

Rain heralded my departure the next morning, a fine mist that made my hair stick to my neck while droplets pinged off of my epautlets. I knelt to hug Conrad, to hold him and remember his warmth. "I love you." I still remembered how I'd last seen my father. He hadn't said a proper good-bye. He hadn't even had time to say he loved me, so I told Conrad that often. "Help Reyes take care of your mother. I'll be back soon and I know you'll make me proud."

I stared into his eyes, so much like my own, then picked him up as I stood. His small arms looped around my neck as I turned towards Sam and Joslin. The blacksmith and her daughter stood near the Queen as I reluctantly transferred Conrad into Sam's waiting arms. "So this is it."

Sam squared her shoulders, and that inner strength she so often hid seemed to cement her to the ground. "Ten months, Lara. I'm giving you ten months then I'm sending someone looking for you. Do you understand?"

"Eighteen. Ten months is too soon, I have to travel very, very far."

Something angry flashed in her eyes, but she relented and nodded her head. I felt ice in my chest, and I knew I couldn't leave it like this. If something happened, I didn't want her last memory of me to be steeped in anger. I stepped close to her. "Sam, when I come back, this will be settled, and we will have the rest of our lives together. I need you to trust in my ability. _Trust_ in me."

She swallowed, her throat bobbing, but she nodded her head. "I love you. I trust you. I'm just scared."

"It's okay to be scared." I take her hand and kiss it. "I'll be back before you know it."

I turned as she said, "I'll keep a candle going for you. So you can find your way home."

"Then I'll have something to look for in the night."

My words haunted me as I traveled West. Two days of constant rain that seemed to follow me, and I wondered if it were some kind of curse from Natla. The only thing I looked forward to just now was a hot meal and a warm bed, in precisely that order. Through the downpour I could see town lights in the distance. The last time I'd been here had been during the invasion, and our desperate flight to keep Sam alive.

The village was locked up tight against the storm, but when I stepped into the tavern it was pretty lively. A pretty, redheaded barmaid smiled at me, and I felt momentary suspicion. But not every barmaid was _Natla_.

"I'd just like a room, and whatever you've got simmering in a pot," I said. I kept my voice low, and with the shorter hairstyle I'd adopted following the war it would serve to obscure who I really was.

"Of course! Come this way, I can have it sent up if you'd like?"

I looked around at the tavern, then glanced back at her. "That would be fine, thank you."

While it might be valuable to listen to the goings on of the land, I wanted to clean up and warm up before mingling with people. She gave me another smile, this one laced with a promise I couldn't take her up on, before turning to lead me up the stairs. At the entrance to my room, she held the door open for me. "Is there….anything else I could get you."

"That will be enough, thank you." I gave her some coins, and tried to ignore the disappointed look that crossed her face. All I ever would need is Sam and there were few people in this world besides her who could make my body react against my will.

The stew was delicious, and between that and the blankets I wrapped myself in I warm up. I had become accustomed to sleeping nude through habit (just one more thing I could blame Sam for), but that wouldn't do here. We'd spent hours discussing how I would conduct myself while traveling, and disguising my identity was of the utmost concern. To prepare for sleep, should I be rudely awoken, I wore loose trousers and an ill fitting tunic, underneath of which was a tight fitting shirt I usually wore under my armor. It made it easier to fight and had the side-effect of hiding my gender from any prying eyes.

I slid into bed, then sorted through one of the pouches Sam had given me. Inside was a jade pendant with some sort of swirling pattern to it. Sam had included a note. She'd found it in the vaults and wanted me to have it for good luck. I immediately pulled it on, then noticed there were some markings on the back of the note. I looked at them, the heaviness on my heart lifting. Conrad had drawn the three of us together. Crude, but as a mother, it was the most beautiful piece of art I'd ever seen.

The rain stopped sometime during the night, and the lack of sound was the thing that woke me. It was so quiet, and so desolately still. I laid there, straining my ears. It felt like something was in the air, something that made the muscles in my body tense.

During that pregnant pause, before all hell broke loose, I grasped the hilt of my sword. I was already standing when I heard the crashing downstairs, and throughout the town came the sounds of splintering wood. Someone screamed. I pressed myself flat against the wall next to the door. When the bandit burst in, I ran him through. The fighting continued downstairs, so I kicked my packs under the bed and then stepped out into the hall.

The redhead from earlier lay in a pool of her own blood, eyes glassy as she stared away into nothing. She'd done nothing to deserve this, but I had to cool my anger. If these were more than simple bandits, than there were other girls who'd meet much more grisly fates.

Kneeling, I closed her eyes, then crept down the hall, and leaned around the corner to look down the stairs. The tavern was a wreck, two bandits picking through the rubble. I counted three bodies. Behind me, I heard other doors open. I turned and lifted my fingers to my lips, and prayed the other guests would stay put.

If Sam were here, she'd tell me that a sane person would run down the stairs, instead of leaping over the railing like I did. I landed hard on the first bandit, my sword sinking through the back of his shoulder and into his heart. Blood splattered the other man as I pulled it out, just in time to parry a clumsy blow. He was slow, and predictable, and he joined his friend in seconds.

The sky swirled ominously overhead, the break in the storm seemingly centered on this town. I surprised one bandit, dispatching him as quickly as the others. Town guards battled down the street and I ran to help, scooping up a rock as I moved. It shot through the air, hitting an attacker in the head, and the distraction gave the guard the edge he needed.

I saluted him with my sword, then rounded another building. Bandits were pulling a family out of a house. Darting forward, I cut through one, bringing my sword up to block a counter attack from his comrade as he reacted to my arrival. It was the first challenge of the night, comparatively. He was clearly trained, probably by the army, but his style was rigid. I slapped his sword out of his hand, then gutted him.

As his entrails spilled onto the muddy ground, I wondered why I didn't feel so _sick_. Perhaps it does get easier. Perhaps watching Roth die hardened me to such things. I didn't really know. I look at the woman and her daughter, and any guilt I feel eases. They'll live because of me.

"Return to your home, miss. You'll be safer there while we clear out these bastards." It was starting to rain again, my hair plastering to my scalp. My overshirt was going to cling to me in short order and my undershirt didn't completely hide my curves. So much for secrecy.

"They've never come into town before," She said, expression dazed. "They've always ambushed people on the roads, but they've never come into town."

"Something drove them here…" Her words worried me. If bandits have been attacking people on the road, why have I not heard of this before? I resolved to send a message to Sam, so that she could increase patrols. In the mean time, I needed to find out what made them desperate enough to come into town. "Please, go inside. This will be a long night, but I promise you will stay safe."

I took off at a brisk run as soon as they were safe. All told there were a dozen bandits - most of which were killed, and the remainder captured. Too many of the townspeople were hurt or dead, and I pulled the constable aside. Reluctantly, I flashed my seal. "I'd like to find out what drove them here, before I depart. They will be punished, and I will increase patrols in the country-side so this does not become a problem again."

He looked a little starstruck. The man was portly and this was probably the most action he'd seen since the war. "Yes...yes your majesty! But I wager I know what did it! Wyverns!"


	3. Allegiance

Wyverns. I'd heard tales of such beasts. My books spoke of them as a lesser form of dragon. Something beneath a drake on the grand scheme of things, but with a poisonous sting and an even nastier attitude. Sam once joked that they acted in such a way to make up for the fact that they weren't actually dragons. There are several ways to kill one, but I could sum it up in just a few words. Stick the pointy end into it's head or heart. I could do that. I'm rather good at that.

It was a long day's ride to where the bandits' camp had been, and when I arrived the place was in ruin. Their tents and shacks had been destroyed and the stink of the dead bodies littering the ground made my stomach turn. Many of them had been chewed on or partially eaten, and I followed the trail into a cave. There were many twists and turns and tunnels inside, and I crept along, wary of traps or sudden pitfalls. The wyvern had been less headful, and I needn't have worried. Most of the traps had been sprung by it's passage, so it was really the only threat I faced.

The only thing I could hear was my breath steaming against my faceplate, and the soft dripping of water from somewhere above. But the farther into the caverns I went, the better I could sense the Wyvern. When I could finally hear it, It moved with a rustling sound, like a snake or lizard, and every so often it would let out a rumbly growl.

There was a soft blue glow from some fluorescent fungus on the cavern walls. It illuminated the creature's new lair, bright enough to see the shape and the way it's scales shimmered. I crouched when it stirred, and waited for it to settle back down before moving closer once again. I had to kill it, before it could represent a greater threat to my people than it already was.

I drew my sword and lifted it above my head. But the beast moved suddenly and my strike missed, sparking off of stone. I dodged to the right as it's tail crashed into the ground where I'd been standing. Steam hissed from it's poison, and the sickly green liquid bubbled as it ate into the rock. I didn't like the chances for my armor. It reared up on it's hind legs, beating its wings in the air as it shrieked. The sound made my ears ring and I nearly got hit by it's tail again.

If it could breathe fire, it wasn't trying yet, so I kept most of my attention on that tail. It beat its wings again. It was _taunting_ me. I beat my sword on my shield and shouted. "Is that the best you can do, you ugly bastard? Come and get me!"

It lurched forward, spraying fire in a large arc in front of it. I ducked under the blast and rolled to the side as its tail struck the ground next to me. Then I grabbed on, pressing my knee against the bulbous growth at the tip, and started to cut with a knife. When the tip broke away I jumped back to avoid the acidic spray. Either the poison or it's blood, I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to stay close enough to find out.

The wyvern's roar was deafening. I charged straight for it, disorienting it with a blow from my shield. It reared up, and I plunged my weapon into it's stomach, and slashed into its heart. It bellowed once more, then fell to the ground and lay still. Leaning back against a boulder, I let out a breath. "Ugly. And you reek, too."

I bypassed the town on the way back. The sun was still high in the sky and I wanted to make as best time as I could before nightfall. I'd never done anything like that before. I'd fought in the tournament, and vanquished Mathias who called himself a god but really wasn't. But I'd never fought a beast from my father's stories before. That was something _else!_ I wondered what else was out there? I doubted I was pure enough to ever see a unicorn, nor would I kill one, but I'd love to test my mettle against a real dragon. I'd weaken it with arrows first, I thought. Like I should have with the Wyvern. A lesson for next time.

I was _jubilant._ I thought of all the ways I could tell that story Sam and Conrad and Conrad's sibling as I poked a fire to life to cook my dinner. I'd slain a _wyvern_ and today I felt like I could do anything, and face anything.

"Well _someone_ is in a good mood."

Natla's sultry voice deflated my good mood as surely as a funeral dirge. I turned to look at her. The firelight danced over her skin, which shimmered in reds and oranges and yellows. It made shadows flicker, and she seemed to _glow_. Her wings folded down against her back, and I tried to ignore the dryness in my mouth. "Not any longer. What do you want?"

"You are certainly taking your sweet time, your _majesty._" Natla rested one long, razor claw underneath my chin and forced me to look at her. "The longer you are away, the _harder_ it will be to ensure the safety of your kingdom and queen."

"I couldn't leave that creature to terrorize my people." I definitely met her eyes. It was certainly better than looking anywhere else. The demon had no shame.

"Yes, yes, how heroic of you," she replied, sounding as bored as the expression on her face. Her claw punctured my skin, but I didn't let myself flinch. I just gazed steadily at her as she spoke. "Destroying that terrible creature. I'm sure your subjects will sleep better tonight. But you… You still have so far to go."

"I wasn't aware I was on a timeline."

"Did I neglect something?" She laughed, pulling away and striding around my camp. Natla stretched out her wings, and brushed my face with the outside of one. I expected it to be rough, like the skin of a lizard or dragon, but it was soft and subtle. I thought of the damage I could do to it if I had half a chance. "Oh right. You only have until the next solstice. So six months, give or take."

I got to my feet and paced around, never letting my eye off of her. "Funny that you didn't mention that before."

"I wasn't expecting you to dawdle." Natla moved incredibly fast, wrapping her wings around me and digging her claws into my throat. "Fulfill your oath to me, woman who would be King. _Never_ forget that you owe everything to _me_."

Her eyes dipped to my lips, and I turned my head as she nuzzled her face into my neck. I felt teeth, sharp ones, and then blood dribbling out from the punctures. A surge of guilt washed over me at how my body responded, despite the pain. Or perhaps because of it. My heart raced and my breathing grew ragged, but I did not move an inch. Her head moved, and her tongue flicked at the cartilage of my ear. "To whom do you owe _allegiance_?"

I said nothing, and the silence droned on. Her claws dug in deeper and her teeth bloodied my ear, but she only got a grunt out of me. "What was that?"

My voice was less steady than I would have liked, but anyone besides her probably wouldn't be able to tell. "My people. I owe allegiance to them, and no other. Not even a god."

She pulled back. Despite the hardness of my eyes and my stance, she looked _pleased_. "Perhaps I chose wisely, then." With a single leathery flap of her wings, Natla shot skyward. I watched her go, my hand on my ear.

Natla's words were carefully chosen. The longer I take, the more likely that some harm would come to Sam or Conrad, or my people. I let myself have a few minutes to savour the thought of ripping that bitch's wings off, before I broke camp. Six months was much less time than I'd planned for and I had to swallow the panic before it consumed me. I would eat on the go. I'd sleep on the go if I had to. I set my sights west with the same inexorable focus that I have for any goal. Somewhere, perhaps in my own imagination, I could hear Natla's laugh.


	4. Not So Different

As I traveled, I passed through towns and villages. The people of the Empire of the Sun were much like my own, the product of great immigrations centuries ago. The more I learned of them, the more it became clear how pointless the war had been. They tended farms and raised families. They feared bandits and monsters. They hawked goods on the streets and laughed too loudly at drunken jokes. Some had swarthy or dark skin and some were lighter in tone. They wore their clothing more colorfully than the people of Nishia did, favoring reds, yellows and greens. It seemed to be the current fashion to dye one's hair elaborate and bright also loved music. Instruments I'd never heard before greeted me every day. And they were friendly, for the most part. I met more smiles than I did frowns, and it made the journey less tedious.

After two weeks, the days started to blend together. I hadn't really slept, though some nights I'd allowed myself as many as four hours. I was pushing both myself and my horse to the breaking point. It couldn't last, and in the river city of Halun near the edge of the Great Solarii Desert, I decided we both needed to rest.

It was a small city, with maybe a dozen streets and a hundred buildings, but the market was bustling due to trade up and down river. I recognized some of the merchant markings on barrels and crates. These goods had travelled from my own kingdom. Nishian merchants traded with the people of Halun as though we hadn't been at war since before I'd been born. The people of the Empire were as tired of it as we were. I remembered my father's words about them being just like us. I'd seen nothing to dispute that and everything to support it. When this mad quest is over, I am going to improve relations between our peoples. Friends rather than enemies. Let us mourn our dead and move on.

There were only two inns and they were both full thanks to the river traffic, but luck was on my side. A small family took me in for coin. They cared for horses and saw that mine was in desperate need. I paid them extra to get him back into full riding shape, feeling bad for how worn he must be, and worried it might be too much work for them. But they assured me he'd be rested and ready within a few days, and for the first time in three hundred miles I slept soundly.

Though they were only dreams, it was nice to see Sam again. Her scent and her smile brought me home. She'd welcome me back with a gigantic hug and she'd kiss me regardless of who was watching. And Conrad… Gods, Conrad. I wanted to pick him up and never let him go. The time I've been gone was already too long. I don't want to smother him, but when I see him again I knew i'd dedicate a few weeks just for the two of us. Maybe I'd take him camping.

The sound of roosters woke me the next morning. I felt refreshed like I hadn't since Natla's visit, even with the soreness of my body. My hostess, a portly woman with ebony skin, introduced me to a dark beverage with a strong, bitter taste. It wasn't tea, but it did a very good job of waking me up. I sat with my cup at the window and watched her children play. She had four, all girls. The youngest was eight and the oldest fourteen. Her close-cropped hair was dyed a vibrant yellow, like a sunflower's petals. I can only assume that's where the dye had come from, and I had no idea what the cost of it was. I don't think it was too much - the family seemed to live modestly - but I can assume reds and purples were probably too expensive.

I hadn't spoken much, and with my hair shortened and shirt loose-fitting, I don't think they realized I was a woman. The yellow-haired girl came over, leaning on the window. She had a blush on her cheeks and was smiling at me in a way that reminded me of the times Sam would try to flirt with me. "You're from the East, aren't you?"

"Yes," I told her. "I've been traveling from Nishia. I hope to eventually reach Solaris, I hear it's a beautiful city."

"We get a lot of people these days." She acted like she was older than she was, and knew about the 'old day'. It was somewhat endearing. "I'm Traya. I've always wanted to visit Nishia. Did you see the duel between the mad king and Ser Croft?"

I hadn't expected that question. I probably should have. It was years ago now, and obviously the people would have known their king had been defeated. "The mad king? Is that what people are calling him?"

She nodded, and leaned forward, her hand inching towards my arm. She kept looking at me and wetting her lips. "Yes. He was in power since my mama was a baby. She said that he told people that your people were in the way, that they all wanted us dead but he was a tyrant. A lot of people believed him though. I think a lot still do."

Noted, I thought. That would be something to work on. "We thought the same thing of you. Many of our military leaders wanted the war to keep going. The king and queen were oft kept in the dark about what was really going on. It's what allowed the "mad king" to nearly win."

"But the girl Knight stopped him, didn't she?"

I pointedly nudged her hand away from my arm. I don't know if she got the hint, but I had her attention anyway. "Yes. Would you like to know how?"

"Yes!" She covered her mouth as her excitement got the better of her and I managed to keep down a laugh.

"Why don't you call your sisters over and I'll tell you the story of Ser Croft and the Mad King."

I leave some things out, once they've gathered at the window. That I'm the Knight, of course. Natla's involvement. But I tell them about how the Lady Knight protected the princess, and how she fought in the tournament to win not only the Kingdom, but the hand of the princess. They hung onto my every word, and I could see a transformation come over Traya as I told the story. This girl had steel under her skin. I don't know if the Empire of the Sun had ever conscripted women like we had, but regardless, this girl could very well strap a shield to her arm some day.

"Ser Lant lay defeated at the Knight's hand. The Knight tossed aside her helmet and called out." I deepened my voice a little for the last part, recalling the adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins. _"Mathias! By ancient rites of this land and the rules of your tournament I claim the throne and the hand of the princess."_

The girls gasped, and the eleven year old looked like she wanted to swoon. Traya gripped the windowsill tightly. "What happened next?"

"Mathias claimed that her victory was forfeit, but the rules had stated that any knight may participate. And that was when the sky darkened, and the Mad King revealed his true form. Possessed by the powers of a thunder goddess, he rose into the air, lightning crackling around his body. **"I am a god!"** he bellowed. **"And you are no hero!"** But the Knight was not swayed. After all, even gods can die! She ran for the weapons rack and pulled out a bow. Her first shot struck true, but his power protected him. Ser Croft had but one arrow left."

They were hanging on to my every word, and I found that I was really enjoying this. The events were distant enough that it didn't bring back bad memories.

"Ser Croft was a bit of a scholar. There was something in a very old book that talked about the blood of mortals. That only a mortal could kill a god. So she smeared her arrowhead with her own blood, and took aim. Mathias, mad as he was, left himself exposed. He was so sure of his safety. But the arrow hit him in the chest, and thus ended his short-lived godhood."

"And did...and did she get the princess?" That was the second oldest, the girl who'd wanted to swoon. Her name was Olysse.

I put my hand on her hair and ruffled it. "She got the princess, and was crowned King." I smiled, and added wistfully. "And that wedding was beautiful. Croft, resplendent in a royal waistcoat, and Princess Nishimura, breathtaking in her dress."

"Maybe someday I could rescue a princess?" She asked, and she looked do hopeful that I couldn't deny her.

"Maybe someday you will."

"I want to be a _knight_." Traya balled her hands up into a fist.

"Me too!"

The two girls ran off to challenge each other with sticks, and I wondered what I had started. Maybe I inspired them to grow up and become soldiers. It wasn't as glorious as it sounded in stories, but I thought they might be capable, and I hoped no one would deter them. Maybe Olysse would find her princess.

I spent the rest of the day in town, learning more about the people and making friends. I paid a merchant to take some letters back to Nishia, and then paid him extra to keep seeing the royal seal secret. Besides personal letters to Sam, Conrad and Reyes, I also wanted my advisers to work towards improving relations with the Empire, especially the border towns. I wanted them to learn about my observations, and that Mathias was known as the Mad King here.

By the time I returned to my lodgings, the sun was preparing to set. I also had a surprise waiting for me. Traya and Olysse ambushed me, and I was forced to sit through a gruesome torture. My hair, apparently, was in dire need of help. They trimmed it slightly, made me wash it, and then helped me dye it.

Sam would probably have a cow, but my hair ended up a dark auburn red. It wasn't bright like Traya's yellow, but it was still striking once it had dried. I slipped their mother some coin to cover the cost of the dye, when the girls weren't looking. I thought it might be expensive.

I felt oddly like part of the family, and that was only reinforced when I woke up the next morning, smushed under four girls and a cat. The sun had yet to rise, and it was a pleasant sensation. Stroking Olysse's hair, I thought that maybe having a larger family would be nice, if it was like this.


	5. Thirst

I ran out of water thirty kilometers ago. The last of mine went to my horse, hoping to keep him going until we could find a source of water. The desert seemed to stretch on forever. I shielded my eyes, but all I could see was rock and sand, the air shimmering under a blistering sun. I urged him forward, slumping in the saddle as my mind began to wander.

How long had it been? Since I'd left home, left my family and my kingdom to gods only know what. How long have I been wandering this wasteland? Days bled into weeks and into months, and I could almost hear the tolling of the bell tower ringing in the hours. What could Natla do, what _price_ could she make them pay if I do not complete her task in time.

Ahead of me, I saw shadows. Man-made structures stretching towards the cloudless sky. "There!" No one around to listen, but I spoke aloud anyway. "Come on, Endurance. We're almost there!"

Where 'there' is, I cannot say, but I goaded my horse, pushing him harder and harder. But the closer I got to the ruins, the farther away they seemed. Towers like fingers, clawing up, mocking me. If I lifted my hand I could almost touch them.

The horse stumbled. The ground rushed up to meet me and I rolled in the dirt. The dirt was blistering hot, the dust clogging up my lungs and making my eyes water. It would be so _easy_ to close my eyes, let myself sleep. I was just so tired.

My eyes snapped open when the ground shook. I turned my head to see the horse laying nearby, his side rising and falling as he struggled to breath. "Oh no… no no, hold on."

I picked myself up, until I was on my hands and knees. Rocks and prickly plants bit into my skin, but I pulled myself to the horse to check on him. He didn't look good. He probably looked as bad as I did, and I rested my face against this warm flank for a moment before forcing myself to stand. With my eyes closed, I listened. I pushed aside Endurance's laboured breathing. I listened for wind, or water, or for some sign of life. But it wasn't sound that drew my attention. It was _smell_. That crisp smell of fresh water.

Eyes snapping open, I started to stumble in the direction of the water. "Just hold on! Just hold on for a little while!"

Endurance didn't respond, and I spared him a few glances before I'd crested a hill. Arrayed in front of me were the ruins that had eluded me all day. Crumbled towers and broken walls, set against the side of a cracked cliff. I barely spared the structures a glance; it's the plant life all along the side of the mountain that excited me.

In my excitement, I lost my balance, tumbling down the hill. My head bounced off of a rock and I felt something cut through my arm. With the world spinning one way, and my insides the other, I couldn't risk trying to stand. But I could hear flowing water. Just a little farther, and I could save both myself and my horse. Just a little farther, just a little longer baking in the sun.

The stream could barely be called that, but it moved quickly. I dragged myself upstream. It emerged from a tiny cavern, too small for even a human child to enter, and I drank greedily, submerging my head to give myself the first relief in what felt like a century. I lay, half in the stream, and cursing my impatience. Trying to travel in the day time had nearly been suicide, and Endurance could still suffer for it. I gathered my strength. There was still work to do.

It took me three days to nurse the horse back to health, and I lost another day scouting ahead. I didn't make the same mistake again, and on the fifth day I waited until dusk before starting out. Based on what I learned when I scouted, I shouldn't have to spend more than two more days in this hellish desert. The mountains were close enough to touch, and they wore a mantle of trees.

I put the longest week of my life behind me as I rode into the mountains. Green things, living things greeted me. The scent of pine, the sound of water and birds were a symphony to my ears.

"That's a good boy," I whispered, rubbing my hand on Endurance's neck. "We did it."

I made camp in a clearing, giving Endurance another chance to rest up. I hadn't had a decent meal since I'd left that town with the children, and if I intended to go on I would need to rebuild my strength. Taking my bow and a quiver of arrows, I moved deeper into the forest. It would be easy to get turned around in an unfamiliar land like this one, so I marked trees as I traveled, giving me a path straight back to camp.

Cautiously, I listened for the sound of passing animals. While a deer could feed me for a long time, I didn't have the time I would need to prepare the meat. It would be too much of a waste. Instead, I lay several traps, and strike a squirrel through the skull. The meat would give me the boost I needed now, and berries and plants I gathered along the way would suffice to get me to Solaris.

It was on the return to camp that I heard singing. I could not make out the words, but the tune was a familiar one that put an ache in my chest. First, I hung my food from a tree, then followed the singing. The closer I got, the more engrossed in the sound I became. It was beautiful, filling my head with memories of better times. The ache in my chest only grew when I finally recognized it as a song sung by Sam at our wedding and coronation.

My vision blurred, until I wiped my eyes as I stepped out from amongst the trees. A woman sat on a rock near the center of a pond, her back to me. Her hair was black as night, cascading down her back like a waterfall, and she didn't appear to be wearing a thing. I stopped at the edge of the water, staring at her. The song continued to draw me in. She turned her head to look at me.

"...Sam?"

Sam smiled, gesturing with the crook of her finger. My hands undid my tunic as if of their own accord. It fell to the ground, and I quickly discarded the rest of my clothing. Sam continued to sing, the words blending together in my mind until all I could focus on was her voice and this burning _need_ to get to her.

The water was cool, a welcome sensation after so long in the desert. When I surfaced, I was just a few feet from Sam. I treaded water as she gracefully slipped in. I swam towards her, my hands reaching. They came in contact with her, her skin slick from the water. Her fingers massaged their way down my back as we kissed, our bodies intertwined so tightly I could barely contain the ecstasy.

"I've missed you so much." I gasped as she nibbled her way down my neck. She bit my shoulder lightly, her left hand palming a breast. The sensation was like a jolt straight to my loins. We sank under water, and Sam pulled her head back to look at me. Thin webbing now joined the fingers of her hands. Her forearms were lined with wispy fins that glimmered with a blue sheen. Her eyes had grown wide and black, and her elongated mouth was filled with razor sharp teeth. Her ears were shell-like, and her skin had turned a shimmering aquamarine while her hair was now a midnight blue. Beneath her was the blackness of depth, shafts of sunlight from above me reflecting on her skin. It registered seconds later, that a long, whip-like tail had wrapped around my waist. Her fins were soft, the skin of her tail smooth and supple.

The pond went deeper than any pond had a right to go. She dug sharp nails into my back, her tail constricting tightly as she pulled me deeper and deeper where the sunlight could not reach, until I didn't know which way was up or down.

She _shone_, in the darkness. Her fins, like veils flowing with the current, glowed softly blue, and lines of the same color ran in patterns across her body. Her hair was marked like a field of stars. She was so _hauntingly_ beautiful, her gaze so hypnotizing, that I couldn't make myself struggle. I'd been lured to be drowned and devoured, and I could barely fight it, even as my lungs burned.

Her head tilted to one side. She tenderly touched my face with one webbed hand, before bringing her mouth to mine. Air poured into my lungs. I looked at her quizzically, not understanding. She let me go, and as soon as she did, sense returned. I shot for the surface, frantically kicking my feet as my lungs felt as though they were going to burst. The sun greeted me, and I gulped for air, dragging myself into shallow water and flopping on my back in the mud.

The sound of the siren breaking the surface should have alarmed me, but I lacked the strength to do anything about it. I felt her shadow fall over me, and opened my eyes to see her propping herself up.

"I don't understand," I asked her.

Her only response was to kiss me again. Then she flipped back into the water, beautiful tail splashing behind her. After a moment, her head popped up again, and she looked towards me as I pushed myself up on my elbows. She disappeared once more under the water, and it was as though she had never been there to begin with.


End file.
